WHEREAS at the 1995 Mid-Winter Meeting in Charlottetown, CBA Council adopted a resolution urging the federal government to extend maternity and parental benefits under the Unemployment Insurance scheme or other appropriate legislation to self-employed individuals;
WHEREAS the Government of Quebec has adopted Bill 140, giving access to maternity and parental benefits for self-employed workers residing in Quebec and that, once the legislation is implemented, the plan will be mandatory;
WHEREAS the federal government has not yet extended maternity and parental benefits to those who are self-employed;
WHEREAS the Prime Minister of Canada has created a Task Force on Women Entrepreneurs to examine the unique challenges faced by women entrepreneurs and to advise on how the federal government can advance the contribution of women entrepreneurs to the Canadian economy;
BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Canadian Bar Association:
- urge the federal government again to adopt legislation to provide Employment Insurance maternity and parental benefits to self-employed individuals;
- urge all law societies and legal associations to ask the Minister of Human Resources Development Canada and the Prime Minister to implement this; and
- work with other professional groups to lobby for this change.
Certified true copy of a resolution carried as amended by the Council of the Canadian Bar Association at the Mid-Winter Meeting held in Banff, AB February 14-16, 2003.
John D.V. Hoyles
Executive Director/Directeur exécutif